A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of electrical receptacle covers, more specifically, a cover that includes a safety bracket for securing a fragrance dispenser to the respective electrical receptacle.
Fragrance dispensers come in all shapes, sizes, and types. A common type of a fragrance dispenser is one in which the dispenser has an electrical plug for use with an electrical outlet. The electrical plug fragrance dispensers operate a heating element to consume an endothermically-operative fragrance that is stored somewhere on the dispenser. The shortcomings of said fragrance dispensers is that they rely on the electrical outlet to stay in place, and may simply fall out of the socket where the electrical outlet is old and warn out. Moreover, a small child might be inclined to pull out the fragrance dispenser thereby giving said child an opportunity to play with a potentially deadly electrical receptacle. What is needed is an electrical outlet cover that includes a safety bracket integrated into the design of the cover, and which shall secure a fragrance dispenser or like-sized object to said electrical outlet and cover thereby minimizing safety hazards to unattended children.
The device of the present application seeks to address the safety issues that arise with a fragrance dispenser that plugs into an electrical outlet.
B. Discussion of the Prior Art
As a preliminary note, it should be stated that there is an ample amount of prior art that deals with electrical receptacle covers, generally. However, no prior art discloses an electrical receptacle cover that is particularly suited in securing an item to said cover and to the respective electrical outlet for which said item is plugged therein; wherein the electrical receptacle cover includes a safety bracket that extends outwardly from the surface of the cover in order to encircle at least a portion of the item being plugged therein; wherein the safety bracket is ideally suited for securing a fragrance dispenser that is plugged into a respective electrical outlet; wherein the safety bracket includes distal ends specifically suited for securement to lock slots integrated into the surface of the electrical receptacle cover.
The In Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 7,094,969) discloses an electrical outlet safety cover having a sliding cover plate. However, the electrical outlet safety cover is adaptive to concealing the electrical outlet when not in use, and not particularly suited for securing a fragrance dispenser plugged into said outlet when in use.
The Mcllvenna Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,669,492) discloses a child safety cover for an electrical outlet comprising a cover adapted to slide vertically within slide channels. However, the child safety cover is not specifically suited for securing a fragrance dispenser plugged into an outlet by providing a safety bracket that extends from the cover and encircles all or a portion of the fragrance dispenser.
The Gremillion et al. Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 7,338,309) discloses a locking outlet cover designed to protect electrical outlets from children. However, the locking outlet cover is not suited to securing to said cover plate, a fragrance dispenser plugged into a respective outlet via a safety bracket extending from said cover plate and enclosing at least a small portion of the fragrance dispenser to both the oulet and cover.
The Valls Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,780,031) discloses a child-proof safety plate assembly. Again, the safety plate assembly is incapable of securing a fragrance dispenser to an electrical outlet by extending a safety bracket there from.
The Guerrieri Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,031,183) discloses an electrical outlet cover that is slidably received on the base plate. However, the electrical outlet cover is directed to closing off access to the electrical outlet, and not securing an item that is plugged into an electrical outlet, much less a fragrance dispenser plugged into said electrical outlet.
The Horne Patent (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 261,135) illustrates a design of a safety cover for electrical outlets, which does not depict a safety bracket extending outwardly from the cover in order to secure an object plugged into one of the electical outlets.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective and particular objects and requirements, they do not describe an electrical receptacle cover that is particularly suited in securing an item to said cover and to the respective electrical outlet for which said item is plugged therein; wherein the electrical receptacle cover includes a safety bracket that extends outwardly from the surface of the cover in order to encircle at least a portion of the item being plugged therein; wherein the safety bracket is ideally suited for securing a fragrance dispenser that is plugged into a respective electrical outlet; wherein the safety bracket includes distal ends specifically suited for securement to lock slots integrated into the surface of the electrical receptacle cover. In this regard, the electrical receptacle cover having safety bracket for use with fragrance dispenser departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art.